Intraocular procedures are commonly performed to treat many serious conditions of the posterior segment of the eye. For example, vitreo-retinal procedures may treat conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and diabetic vitreous hemorrhage, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, retinal detachment/tearing, and many other ophthalmic conditions.
A surgeon may perform intraocular or other intra-cavity procedures with a microscope and special lenses designed to provide a clear image of the interior of the cavity. Access to cavities is provided through several tiny incisions just a millimeter or so in diameter, which are made on the sclera at the pars plana to allow access to the inside of the eye. The surgeon inserts microsurgical instruments through the incisions, such as a fiber optic light source to illuminate inside the eye, an infusion line to maintain the intraocular pressure within the eye and the eye's shape during surgery, and instruments to cut and remove the vitreous body or to perform other surgical operations. A separate incision may be provided for each microsurgical instrument when using multiple instruments simultaneously.
With respect to retinal detachment/tearing, as one treatment option the surgeon may introduce a bubble of gas into the eye of the patient to secure the detached/torn retina against the sclera of the eye. While the gas bubble may dissipate over a period of weeks, proper positioning of the patient's head during that period may be required so that the gas bubble applies pressure in the required direction. While the procedure is simple and cost-effective, the requirement to maintain a specific position in which the head faces down can be onerous. Accordingly, this approach and other approaches to current treatment of tissue tears within a body cavity, such as retinal detachment/tearing within the eye, have not proven entirely satisfactory.